Labyrinth
by Bootstrap Begley
Summary: After getting a mistaken job at the pet store Zim meets Creeta, a girl who visits the smaller animals each and every day. But now they are stuck in a labyrinth from Creeta's favorite book. And even she doesn't know the way out.


Zim gazed around at the unfamiliar surroundings, confused. He was wearing a blue vest liek all of the other workers at the pet shop but still was trying to remember what had happened.

_"Aren't you here for the new job opening?" Asked a man in a blue vest. "Erm . . . I'm afraid you don't know who you are talking to, puny human, I am ZIM!" He had said. The man stared. "Well, Zim, step right this way, please and we'll sign you up." A few weeks later, he had returned to the pet shop to study the animals a little more closely. "Oh, there you are!" The same man he had seen on his last visit rushed up to him with a spare vest and engraved name tag. "Congratulations, Zim, you've been chosen to get the new job!" He handed him the vest hastily and rushed over to a red headed teen picking up a tiny dwarf hamster._

It all registered in Zim's head and he sighed heavily. "At least I'll be able to study earth animals a little more along with human behavior . . ." he said wearily. Sighing again, he turned to study a girl near the hamsters and other small animals. He lifted his head a little. Wasn't that the same red head that had been picking up the small and furry animals the same day he had been given this job? She had been there every day around three, the time everybody got out of skool. And wasn't she new in the class across the hall? Zim snapped back into reality as she picked up a small, gray, thin furred dwarf hamster.

He rushed over to the girl and did exactly what other workers had done. "Excuse me, you can't pick up the animals." He said, stumbling a little. She turned to look at him. She had fair skin and deep blue eyes. Her long, wavy red hair went down at least two feet past her waist, which was clad in light blue jeans. She wore a green T-shirt with yellow sleeves and blue tennis shoes. And in her pretty hand she held a tiny dwarf hamster. It rested calmly there, snuggling against her soft skin.

"Well it wasn't my fault," she said, pointing to the cage where two other dwarfs were. They both had tan fur with a black stripe down their backs and their stomachs were white in color. "They flipped him over and were being mean so I picked up Squeaker and scolded them." "Squeaker?" Asked Zim. "Yes, that's what I named him. He makes these cute little squeaking noises a lot." Replied the girl, smiling and petting "Squeaker" with her finger. "Don't you?" She asked him. Squeaker did one of his famous squeaks in reply. "You know, you can buy Squeaker. He's only nine dollars and you're here with him every day." Zim offered. "Oh no, I can't." Said the girl sadly. "I don't have enough money to pay my rent and keep my furry friend. Plus my apartment doesn't allow any pets except for fish and they're boring."

She sighed and put the tiny animal back in after Zim put the other two in small boxes for "solitary confinment". But as soon as they cage door shut she sat down next to it and her little hamster rushed to the bars to greet her. So had planted herself, or so it seemed, in front of Squeaker's cage.

Zim returned to his work but kept his eye on the strange red headed girl sitting next to the dwarf hamster's cage. After a few hours, at closing time, she finally left after telling her friend good-bye. Zim couldn't understand a human girl's love for such a rather scrawny little hamster, but he shook it off.

The next day, though, she returned as usual except she was dragging a girl a little taller than her behind herself. She had dark brown hair and the two front streaks were a dirty blonde. She had a brown purse over her shoulder and her skin was a dark tan. She wore a poofy yellow shirt and a pink miniskirt with strawberries on it and a golden-colored belt half hanging off of her waist.

Zim watched as they walked over to Squeaker's cage. He caught bits and pieces of their conversation as well. "Oh, I'd pay for him for you if I could, Cri, but I can't." Said the red head's friend sadly. The red head didn't look too happy about it, either. Her friend looked sorry, she understood just how much her friend loved the tiny hamster. "You know I'd pay for him if I could, but I can't." She said. And she left with her friend still staring at the cage.

Tears stained the teen's face as she watched her hamster run on the wheel. Zim couldn't help but feel sorry. He knew just how much she wanted him but just couldn't even buy a tiny animal she loved so very much. He now fully understood how cruel humans could be; even to their own kind. He also understood how young girls could be mistreated at times. He wished he could do something to help, but he couldn't.

Zim suddenly felt he'd had enough of her crying and stomped over to her. "You," he said, pointing a gloved finger at the girl. "Tell me your human name." She stared for awhile before finally saying, "Creeta." Zim sat down next to her. She stared at his fake hair and eyes for a moment, not knowing they were fake. She liked the color of the contacts, though. But she thought his hair was a little weird.

Zim sat with her for awhile, making her laugh. He had stopped her crying and showed her how to get one of their parrots to talk. He also gave her permission to help take care of Squeaker if she liked. She said yes, of course.

At closing hour, Creeta had to leave. "Thanks, Zim." She told him. "Eh," Zim said. "Get outta here and get on with your life. Get out of mine, too." Creeta just smiled though and walked out the door. Zim watched as she disappeared into the city streets and a slight drizzle began to act up. Pretty soon, it was coming down in sheets.

"Well," Zim said. "Guess I'll stay here for the night."


End file.
